PM welcomes biotechnology research development

Prime Minister Helen Clark today
congratulated New Zealand research company Virionyx on the
announcement of new collaboration with two United States
companies to develop treatments for infectious diseases like
SARS, West Nile Virus and Dengue Fever, and against possible
bio-terrorism threats like smallpox and anthrax.

“Virionyx
was recently approached by the two US organisations. One of
these, the Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute, is
a non-profit biomedical research facility under the
leadership of a Nobel prize-winning scientist, Dr Herbert
Hauptman. The other, ZeptoMetrix, is a leading
biotechnology company with particular expertise in viruses
such as HIV.

“These leading US companies have assessed
that the success and experience of Virionyx in developing
treatments for HIV infection to the clinical trial stage
makes it a good partner in the search for the treatments of
new pathogens and in combating potential bio-terrorist
threats.

“Like Virionyx, they also see the advantages New
Zealand offers as a location for advanced biotechnology
research and development. For all these reasons, they
approached Virionyx with the offer to form a collaborative
partnership, and Virionyx has accepted.

“In addition to
the $23 million raised by shareholders, Virionyx has been
assisted in recent years by three government agencies:
Technology NZ, Industry NZ, and Trade NZ. Public funding,
for example, assisted Virionyx to bring talented young New
Zealand scientists back home.

“These developments at
Virionyx are a significant step for the New Zealand
biotechnology industry and one that will boost its
international profile,” Helen Clark
said.

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